Acupuncture | Mumsnet

KylieP · 2012-04-28T12:35:49+00:00

Hi I'm looking for any acupuncture stories please, positive or negative - did it help anyone with PCOS or irregular periods? Did it help anyone ttc and can it actually kick start ovulation? Any down sides or risks to fertility? Thanks x

ericcartmell · 07/04/2016 01:26

@babyjames 3 sessions is an excellent result, though most patients take longer. 3-6 months is the average.

Original poster

KylieP · 29/05/2012 22:48

Sorry been away on hols! strawberry go on the british acupuncture society (think that's what it's called) website, you can find local people qualified on there, and then contact some and ask them if they have experience in this area or if they know someone who does.

caipirinhas I haven't been back yet for another session, not sure if you read my post about having yucky brown spotting/discharge for over a week after the acupuncture? Anyway, I went on holiday and just got back and I THINK I had EWCM for the first time since ttc on Sunday/Monday! I REALLY hope so! Next acupuncture session is 9th June. Keep warm and relaxed. Any sign of your AF? Great news you ovulated x

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strawberrybubblegum · 19/05/2012 06:46

Those of you already having acupuncture - how did you go about finding a good therapist?

It sounds like the kind of therapy (like physio etc) where I can imagine the therapists vary quite a lot.

CaipirinhasAllRound · 18/05/2012 16:27

Hi KylieP
How is it all going? I've just had my 4th acupuncture session and I was the most relaxed I've been
I heard from the doctor yesterday that I've ovulated this month which is brilliant, I think AF is on its way but at least I've ovulated!
Have a good weekend

azazello · 09/05/2012 16:08

I had acupuncture both times I had IVF and it definitely helped me relax and get through the process. I got pg both times too but don't think it was entirely due to the acupuncture.

queenrollo · 09/05/2012 15:44

Laparoscopy - keyhole surgery to look at your innards. They dye bit is because they flush dye into your uterus to see if it spills through your tubes.
I've been TTC two and a half years, was referred by my GP in Feb 2011 and first appt was in the June. Have had blood tests, ultrasound and HSG. The HSG showed my left tube was blocked and I had hydrosalpinx. The lap was to have a better look at that. It was stuck to the ovary and they have freed it and now both my tubes are clear, they also found endometriosis which they dealt with at the same time.

I get a massage too because my acupuncturist runs a therapy centre and offers holistic massage, Indian Head massage, reflexology and Reiki. I discussed with him at my consultation about combining with massage because I have chronic tension in my neck.
I can definitely feel the energy moving when he puts the needles in. It's a very odd sensation but I can tell where the blockages are and when the movement of energy becomes more 'fluid'.

Original poster

KylieP · 09/05/2012 14:55

Oh I didn't get a massage! haha oh well! I still feel quite relaxed today, can't tell what's psychological and what's not, but who cares, I definitely feel better - and it was funny, I felt relaxed the minute the needles were in, and it was like a noticeable physical shift.

What is a lap and dye? How long have you been ttc and how long was it until you got a referral to a consultant? Also what treatment did you have?

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queenrollo · 09/05/2012 10:22

I had a consultation and one treatment a few months ago. I was awaiting a date for my lap and dye, to deal with known issues but decided to give the acu a try as I'm a very tense person generally.
As others have said the sense of 'me time' is wonderful. My therapist also gives me a head/neck massage while the needles are working, so it's a real treat for me.
I had my surgery two weeks ago and have now booked in for a weekly session with my acupuncturist.

CaipirinhasAllRound · 09/05/2012 08:55

that sounds like it went really well KylieP!
I'm not sure about me, my temp has gone up a tiny amount over the past couple of days so we'll see...
Stay warm! x

Original poster

KylieP · 08/05/2012 21:37

Hi ladies, just wanted to tell you I had my first acupuncture session, she's trying to bring on my AF (am on day 31) so we can start trying to encourage ovulation for next cycle. I had some really weird sensations when I was having it! What was interesting too is that I felt so relaxed, I realised I'm quite a tense person, determined to relax more generally now and hoping that will help with ttc. She said the same thing about keeping warm and trying to make my body feel like a fertile place, keeping warm, sleeping lots etc. I think it makes sense too caipirinhas. Fingers crossed. Any ovulation signs for you yet? x

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CaipirinhasAllRound · 08/05/2012 09:40

Babyjames - going on what my acupuncturist said, you probbaly shouldn't do anything too energetic the week of ovulation as your body needs to create a thick lining for the egg to attach and the for the week after as the egg will be trying to attach. She said you need to imagine your uterus as this warm nest type place and so she said stay warm and cosy and try and imagine the environment a fertilised egg would need to be able to embed
Could be mumbo jumbo but it does kind of make sense to me, at leats worth trying for a couple of months
She also recommended that I have warm food rather than eg sandwiches and said we should stay off coffee and alcohol. She also said that DH shouldn't sit with a laptop on his lap as his bits need to stay cool!

KylieP - it is hard. I have a colleague at work who is on her 2nd month of clomid too and it's been really good having someone I can talk to about it all as she's as fed up as me. It sounds like it's still fairly early days so try not to get too disheartened
x

babyjames · 07/05/2012 20:51

caipirinhas- Do you know when you are not meant to do aerobic exercise when TTC? We will be trying for our 2nd this year and I Zumba twice a week and its high intensity.

Original poster

KylieP · 07/05/2012 20:31

I turned 30 in Jan just after I started trying. Someone on another thread was just saying that temping can be wrong - she was temping and it was all over the place, no clear shift and she just got her BFP. So you might have ovulated even though the temps are all over the place, fingers crossed. Keep going with the acupuncture, I was just reading about two people (one who was going through IVF and one who was about to start) who got pregnant and think having acupuncture helped. I'm finding it hard to speak to friends and colleagues when all I want to do is talk about ttc but can't, it's really hard! Every time I promise myself I'll relax I find myself online googling possible cures, fertility stats and things that might be wrong - am going mad! x

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CaipirinhasAllRound · 07/05/2012 20:17

I'm having a bad day today too...

I'm 34. I have to be referred for IVF before I'm 35 in this area and the consultant has said he'll do that at the next appointment if nothing has happened on Clomid. They've given me a 3 month prescription for Clomid which I think is quite common to start with.

I've learnt about follicles recently! Basically you grow follicles from about day 4 and one will be dominant so the others witll just fade and the hormones go into growing that follicle. At the point of ovulation, the follicle pops and releases an egg. This happens after a surge in LH which is what the OPKs measure. Some NHS districts get you to go for a scan on about day 12 to see if you have a dominant follicle but they don't do that where I am so I don't know if this is happening or not....

How old are you?

Original poster

KylieP · 07/05/2012 19:27

How old are you caipirinhas as I think that affects how quickly they move on to IVF? Also what is a dominant follicle? Was just reading on another thread on here that you get six 'rounds' of clomid, is that what you're having? I'm having a bad day today worry-wise, trying to stay relaxed and positive! x

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CaipirinhasAllRound · 07/05/2012 18:49

I just meant generally really. I don't think I've ovulated yet this month going on what my temperature says and that's on double dose of Clomid. I used OPKs last cycle but they showed I ovulated when my blood test said I didn't and I won't know about this month for sure until I've had my blood test again next week, but I'm now charting my temp and it's so up and down that I don't think it's happened yet
They would probably do a day 21 blood test to check your progesterone. I got my prescription for clomid from my consultant when he gave me my blood test results
x

Original poster

KylieP · 07/05/2012 14:14

Ps caipirinha do you know if you did ovulate this wkend (fingers crossed) and how are you checking that for sure? And when you asked about whether they would do IVF after clomid, did you mean for me personally or do I know if they will in general? I haven't got to the clomid stage yet but due to suspected PCOS I think it may be necessary if acupuncture doesn't help x

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Original poster

KylieP · 07/05/2012 14:11

Great, I really think it's worth me trying this. I can see why the yoga thing make sense as I've heard stress has a real impact, and I can also see why it makes sense to eat well, stay warm and relax in the second half of the cycle. My doc says she would need to refer me to a specialist to find out if I'm not ovulating as she can't tell - is that right? What tests do they run and how long is it before they give you clomid if they think you need it? x

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drcrab · 06/05/2012 20:12

I did a series of acupuncture - don't know if it worked but I was happy doing it - we are now parents of a 4 year old and a 1.5 year old!! The first one I also took a round of clomid. And got pregnant after that.

The acupuncturist said that he didn't feel that there was anything wrong with my reproduction bits but said there was a lot of stress. (he pronounced this after feeling my pulse etc).

My brother and wife conceived after doing some sessions with traditional Chinese medicine too. This was after western meds (clomid etc) didn't work.

Good luck!

CaipirinhasAllRound · 06/05/2012 19:37

hi squeaky

it is pricey - I'm paying £45 a session and hope to have weekly session for a couple of months - but it's way cheaper than IVF which is next for us if clomid doesn't work.

it might be worth going for one session as I think one of the main benefits for me so far is the acupuncturist spending time explaining stuff to me, what happens when etc (eg don't do aerobics at certain times of the month as you need to have a nice thick lining for an egg to attach to and aerobic exercise draws the blood to you muscles when you need it for the lining) and so she's educated me loads. I always feel a bit rushed in and out of appointments with my consultant whereas this feels like proper me time

good luck!

squeakymac · 06/05/2012 19:29

Hi all, just to suggest also that if anyone can't afford acupuncture (I know my DH nearly had a heart attack when I suggested it) there is some evidence out there about the fertilty benefits of gentle yoga....I've always done it and find it super relaxing. Any centre should be able to suggest appropriate classes for someone TTC ie not bikram / hot yoga.

Having said that, if nothing has happened for me TTC-wise in a few months I intend to start acupuncture too as don't think I'm ovulating post-MC....

hermioneweasley · 06/05/2012 19:26

Check out fertility resources section of Catlin Allen's website.

CaipirinhasAllRound · 06/05/2012 19:20

Hi KylieP

I had my second session on Friday and from my temps she said she thought if I was going to ovulate it would prob be this weekend as my temp was going up but then the enxt morning it went down loads. Went up again today though so who knows. Just really hope I ovulate this month
Do you know if they would do IVF if you weren't ovulating even after clomid?

I find the acu good for having some time to just focus on your body, it's not mega relaxing like a massage would be but it's time for just you, and it doesn't hurt.

I'm seeing my GP this week to get a prescription for next month's clomid as I've had to use 2 months in one this time and so I'm going with some questions which I've got from the acupuncturist like how do we know I have a dominant follicle if they're not doing a scan etc

Good luck! let me know how you get on

Original poster

KylieP · 05/05/2012 20:31

How is it going with your acupuncture and clomid caiprinihanas? I've booked in for my first acupuncture treatment this Tuesday. Funny everyone says it's relaxing even though someone is sticking needles into you! Really hope it helps. My temps have just been constant really this month, up and down slightly, but doesn't look like I ovulated. On day 28 now. I felt a bit guilty the other day as I went out for a heavy night out, and I've been trying not to do that too much in case I do ovulate and get pg but it's hard giving up drinking when you don't feel like there is any point as not ovulating! x

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CaipirinhasAllRound · 01/05/2012 15:34

I went to the gp after about 18 mths, they did a blood test but apparently everything was ok. We were referred and the 1st was ridiculous, he basically told us to 'be together more'. I had an xray to check my tubes,which are fine and our next appt was with a different who queried that they didn't seem to have checked my progesterone - that was in Feb, 6 mths after I went to the GP
I have no idea if I've ever ovulated and am trying not to think about that as the thought of having tried for over 2 years, with all the heartache etc, whilst not ovulating makes me so mad
I don't know why either. I had a scan and all looked normal

I'd give acu a go. I know someone who is paying for IVF after 18 mths and is now wondering if she should have tried.

Xx